The government everywhere is different… Very different. So here, seeing guys decked out with riffles outside of king lee's china palace isn't out of the ordinary, simply just something to get used to. & Being patted down by a fully equipped guard before entering the bank is becoming a little less scary and a little more comical. But I can't say a truck of 15 policia, ready and gunned pulling into our yard on Tuesday was exactly comforting.
Casually working on the front garden with Olivia I turned around when a car pulled in. Both our mouths dropped when we turned around to be face to face with a full truck bed of "policia" each carrying a gun that was over half the size of my body. And no they weren't simply using the drive to turn around. All of the officers pilled out, half or so scattered around the yard in positipn while about 6 surrounded the head officer who decided to walk up to Becca, the one that knows possibly the least Spanish next to me. If I said I was panicking I'd be lying, I was way more than panicking I was freaking out.
Don't move. Smile. Stand still. No wait walk over there. I can outrun an American cop. I've never been to jail before. Are Honduran jails like American jails, no definitely not. I have my passport. Am I illegally here?
Olivia suggested prayer and I jumped on the opportunity like white on rice. We slowly moved to a rock to sit on and prayed with our eyes open in order to not look suspicious considering 3 armed officers were less than 5 feet away. After a solid 15 minutes of contemplating what the inside of a jail looked like we were approached by the head officer. Basically we came to find out it was his first day as head of department and he wanted to take a look around the property he sends an officer to every night. I'm not sure if I was at ease or even more confused that they use an army of men to accompany one officer for a short visit? So is this what culture shock feels like.. absolutely terrifying?
Being only 3 inches away from the head officer who was surrounded by his army of men and their guns we somehow mustered up the confidence to start joking with him. Not only did we invite him to come over for dinner whenever he wishes but Ariel was confident enough to ask him for a picture. So long story short, our encounter with the Honduran government ended not in jail but with a photo opp and a hilarious story to tell.
